Rights group urges FIFA to block Infantino re-election bid over term limits

What the report says

Human rights group FairSquare has asked FIFA’s governance committee to rule that president Gianni Infantino cannot stand for another term, arguing that he has already reached the maximum number allowed under FIFA’s statutes. The appeal, reported by Reuters and cited by Al Jazeera, says FIFA’s rules limit presidents to three terms and that Infantino’s earlier argument — accepted in 2022 — excluding his first period in office from the count was inconsistent with those rules.

According to the report, Infantino first took office in 2016 after Sepp Blatter’s resignation and is expected to seek another term at next year’s FIFA Congress, with the election scheduled in Morocco on March 18. FairSquare says the 2022 decision was not properly explained and should not be used to open the door to another run. The group’s director, Nicholas McGeehan, said the complaint is meant to defend term limits and prevent a precedent that would weaken checks on presidential power.

The issue comes amid broader scrutiny of Infantino and FIFA. The article says UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF recently called for a review of his conduct after FIFA proposed creating a $20 billion subsidiary tied to its competitions to attract private investment. Several national associations have also raised concerns, while the African and South American confederations still support him. FairSquare’s letter was reportedly drafted with help from former FIFA governance official Miguel Maduro, who also argued that FIFA should follow its own rules.